Thursday, December 17, 2015

Understanding Welsh history and its role in the formation of many Welsh family trees, is a major aspect of Welsh genealogy. English annexation of Wales started along the border area where many Welsh families intermarried with those who came to claim title to the land. Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Normans, and what came to be called "The Plantagenets" all had something to do with that mixing of the X and Y chromosomes. In 1272, Edward I inherited the throne of England. His Welsh neighbors took top priority and the results of his partial annexation are clearly standing today. A book by John E. Morris describes what occurred to advance this undertaking.

The Welsh Wars of Edward I is its title. Many of our Welsh family trees still bend into various shapes, even today, as a result. A grasp of this history will often help us tree climbers.

Originally published by Oxford at the Clarendon Press in 1901, the cover shown above is my copy published by Combined Books edition, 1996. [Pennsylvania] Genealogical tables are contained within showing many of the interrelationships which took place. Raids, castles and battles...who could ask for more.